Notes, abstracts, papers, exams and problems of Music

The Walker "Lied No. 1 Cycle" La Bella Molinera.

Rhythm

Rhythm is a binary rhythm, regular and constant in quadruple time, whose unit is a quarter note. Speed display does not figure in German and in Italian, reflecting the assertion that German Romanticism was doing one's own culture. The equivalent would be a mässig Geschwind Allegro moderato, is moderately fast. In his left hand, continuous eighth-note rhythm breaks whose function is to emphasize the rhythm, which, together with the incessant bustle of sixteenths on the right, suggests the purposeful stride of a person walking briskly. Although the pace is easy, worth noting the slight rhythmic counterpoint introducing the right hand section A, since the introduction, the two notes forming... Continue reading "Schubert's "The Miller's Beautiful Daughter": Analysis" »

Schumann's "Träumerei" Analysis

Rhythm

The rhythm is quaternary (binary double), marked "C", compasillo, equivalent to 4/4 time. There is no tempo indication, but instead, a marking corresponding to a slow metronome or Molto Adagio. Schumann commonly used German instead of Italian for score indications. The title, Träumerei (Dream), suggests a slow movement. The pace is regular and steady, yet deliberately ambiguous because the melodic emphasis and cadences fall on the second (weak) part of the measure. This mechanism enhances the piece's tension and expressiveness.

Melody

Melody is the predominant element, conveying the poetic sense and sensitivity of the composition. It is a melody of regular and symmetrical proportions, structured in eight... Continue reading "Schumann's Träumerei: Analysis of Rhythm, Melody, and Form" »

Key Features of Romantic Music

• More expansive content in musical forms
• Rich modulations, harmonies, chromaticism, and dissonance
• Passionate and lyrical melodies remain important
• Greatly expanded orchestra, especially the horn section, with a complex and dense texture
• Unity of the work through new systems such as the leitmotif, the fixed idea, or ring systems (where a musical idea recurs)

Periods of Romanticism

From 1815 until the first decade of the twentieth century:

• Early Romanticism (1815-1848): A rebellious period, eager for freedom and novelty. Notable composers include Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, and Chopin.
• High Romanticism (1848-1883): Characterized by symphonic poems and the music dramas of Wagner. Key figures include Liszt, Wagner, and

Musical Elements and Their Definitions

The following are key elements in music:

• Melody: A succession of sounds of a certain pitch and duration.
• Scales: A series of notes sorted in ascending or descending order.
• Intervals: The distances between notes.
• Chords: Three or more notes sounding simultaneously.
• Meter: The measurement of the pulse.
• Rhythm: The regularity of accents, which can be:
  • Binary
  • Ternary
  • Quaternary

Aerophone Instruments: Classification and Examples

Aerophone instruments produce sound through the vibration of a column of air. They can be categorized as follows:

Bevel Obtuseness

The vibration is obtained when the column of air collides against the bevel and is divided in two:

• Front: Recorder, Pan Flute
• Lateral: Flute

Reed Mouthpiece

The sound is... Continue reading "Musical Elements, Instruments, and Forms: A Comprehensive Look" »

Elements of a Dramatic Text

• Acts constitute the most important division of a play, beginning with the rise and fall of the curtain.
• Some works' acts are divided into scenes, distinguished by a change of scenery.
• The scenes are part of an act, usually with no change of scene when a character enters or leaves.
• Dialogue between characters is the most important resource of a dramatic text.
• The monologue occurs when a single actor speaks.
• Characters, both major and minor, advance the dramatic action.
• Stage directions are indications that the author proposes (scenery, etc.).
• Asides are messages that go to the public, with actors pretending that the other characters do not hear them.

Elements of Staging

• The stage is where the actors are located.
• The

The Romantic Drama: Don Alvaro, The Troubadour, and Don Juan Tenorio

Key Features of Romantic Drama

Structure and Discourse

• Division of the work into composite days.
• Time in various settings.
• Mixture of verse and prose with a tendency towards polymetry.
• Breaking the rule of three unities, with secondary episodes and genre scenes.
• The conflict occurs in different places and may include jumps of years.
• Mixture of comical and tragic elements, in scenes of dramatic tension and other maxims of intense lyricism.
• High and colloquial styles.

Characters

• The protagonists are often unknown, noble, and generous, and are victims of a blind fate.
• Women love passionately but are condemned to killing and suffering.
• Many secondary characters appear.

Staging

• Staging had great

La Celestina: A Timeless Masterpiece

Since the 16th century, *La Celestina* has been the popular name for the work initially titled *Comedy of Calisto and Melibea* and later *Tragicomedy of Calisto and Melibea*. Attributed almost entirely to the scholar Fernando de Rojas, this transitional piece bridges the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Written during the reign of the Catholic Monarchs, its first known edition dates back to 1499. *La Celestina* laid the groundwork for the birth of the modern novel and theater.

Key Themes in La Celestina

• *The Fervor of Love*

  This theme centers on the uncontrollable desire that, while sometimes veiled in the conventions of courtly love, disregards all social and moral norms, ultimately leading to the downfall

The Baroque Era

The term Baroque initially referred to a style characterized by complicated and irregular shapes in its lines. It then spread to other realms of art, like painting, sculpture, music, and especially literature. In Spain, it would reach a particular development.

Features and Style

The Baroque was a significant cultural movement manifested in literature, architecture, music, and fine arts. The 17th century is characterized by exaggeration and pessimism. In the literary field, the Baroque style has the following features:

• It highlights a special interest in language, marked by an aesthetic desire for originality.
• It is characterized by hyperbole, exaggeration, and corrosive wit.
• The world is seen as a struggle of opposites: life and,

Mozart and Opera

Mozart stands as one of the greatest composers in the history of opera. By the age of 12, he had already composed two operas, Bastien und Bastienne and La finta semplice. While charming, these early works weren't fully representative of his genius, as Mozart was still developing his understanding of dramatic texts. From The Abduction from the Seraglio onward, Mozart's operas defy easy categorization, each possessing unique traits. He demonstrated an unparalleled ability to express the full spectrum of human emotion, often blending serious and comic elements. Other significant works include The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, and his final opera, The Magic Flute.

Haydn and Oratorio

Haydn's contributions to oratorio came later... Continue reading "Classical Era Composers: Mozart, Haydn, and Gluck's Masterpieces" »

The popular literature had great vitality in the modern age. The songbook includes popular legendary songs, love songs, songs of thieves and bandits, religious songs, etc. The religious drama has a didactic purpose (passion, lives of saints), and the theater is of a profane nature, humorous (hors d'oeuvres and saints).
Renaixement: Taking ideas from humanism, it began in Italy and spread throughout Europe during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The idea of rebirth expresses the desire to restore the ideals of classical civilization (Seraph Peter and Christopher Despuig).
Baroque: This movement predominated in Europe, especially Spain and England, during the seventeenth century. It uses parody, satire, and caricature, which is another... Continue reading "The Evolution of European Literary Movements" »